[CTC] TPP protests around in Malaysia and South America

Mon Jan 25 05:51:53 PST 2016

Articles on protests in Malaysia, Argentina, Chile and Peru below (Thanks, David Newby)…

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/protesters-hit-the-streets-to-oppose-malaysia-signing-trans-pacific-partnership/articleshow/50695760.cms

Protesters hit the streets to oppose Malaysia signing Trans Pacific Partnership 

KUALA LUMPUR: Thousands of Malaysians protested against plans to join the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) on Saturday, just days before parliament is due to open a debate on the free trade pact. 

Many of the demonstrators congregated in central Kuala Lumpur were from the opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), which fears that the South East Asian country could lose control of its economy if it enters the 12-nation pact with the United States. 

Prime Minister Najib Razak's government has argued that Malaysia, which relies on exports of commodities, minerals and electronics, cannot afford to stay out of a trade zone whose participants account for 40 percent of the global economy. 

The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition's parliamentary majority should ensure the pact gets approval, but Najib can ill-afford any increase in his unpopularity as he seeks to fend off a financial scandal at a state-owned fund. 

Najib has denied any wrongdoing, and leaders of Islamist party PAS have been less critical than others over the controversy at the fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad, and over how nearly $700 million came to be deposited into the prime minister's personal account. 

Opponents of the TPP fear the pact would compromise national interests and favour foreign multinational companies.  

In a bid to reassure ethnic Malay action groups, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed has said affirmative action policies for the country's ethnic majority would be safeguarded. 

Critics have also argued that small and medium sized enterprises - providing 65 percent of jobs - will be among the worst hit if the trade deal were to take effect. 

"This is not a racial issue," said Salahuddin Ayub, deputy president of Amanah, a party that splintered from PAS. "When we talk about small and medium enterprises, everyone is affected." 

Concerns have also been raised about a possible steep hike in medicine prices due to intellectual property clauses that would clamp down on the sale of generic drugs and benefit big pharmaceutical companies. 

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/South-America-Takes-to-the-Streets-Against-TPP--20160123-0017.html
South America Takes to the Streets Against TPP

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: 
 "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/South-America-Takes-to-the-Streets-Against-TPP--20160123-0017.html" <http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/South-America-Takes-to-the-Streets-Against-TPP--20160123-0017.html>. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english
South America Takes to the Streets Against TPP

This content was originally published by teleSUR at the following address: 
 "http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/South-America-Takes-to-the-Streets-Against-TPP--20160123-0017.html" <http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/South-America-Takes-to-the-Streets-Against-TPP--20160123-0017.html>. If you intend to use it, please cite the source and provide a link to the original article. www.teleSURtv.net/english

South America Takes to the Streets Against TPP

Chileans are to take to the streets in protest every month until their National Congress rejects the TPP treaty.

Citizens in Argentina, Chile and Peru took to the streets in droves Friday night to protest the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, which will affect 12 countries and has already seen major objection from citizens world wide. 

“This march is informative, because this treaty was negotiated by countries in secret and behind our backs, the most affected,” said one of the leaders of the mobilization in Peru's capital Lima. 

Veronika Mendoza, a congressperson from Peru's left wing Broad Front party, also attended the demonstration and reiterated the party's rejection of the treaty, saying that it would increase the price of medicines for citizens.

Mass crowds also gathered in cities across Chile, including Santiago, Concepcion, Valparaiso, Temuco, Puerto Montt and Iquique among others. 

“From today, we have announced our intention to mobilize every month if necessary until congress rejects this treaty,” reads a communique by the protest organizers, which was handed to journalists in Chile's capital Santiago. 

Argentina is not directly impacted by TPP – a trade deal that would grant transnational corporations a wealth of new powers – however, citizens took to the street to protest against the rising power of transnationals. The protesters were particularly targeting the agrochemical company Monsanto, which has made it illegal in several countries for farmers to save their own seeds for the next harvest, forcing them to buy Monsanto seeds each year. 

Protests against the TPP also erupted outside of Latin America. Thousands also took to the streets of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur to urge the government not to sign the trade deal, saying it will lead to higher prices of goods and may displace local businesses by favoring U.S. and other transnationals.  

Leaders of the 12 participating countries – United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam, Canada, Mexico, Peru and Chile – signed the agreement in October, and took the bill back to their respective parliaments to be discussed. 

The leaders are now scheduled to meet again Feb. 4 in New Zealand to ratify the agreement. 

More at…
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/328011 <https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/328011> and http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/live-updates-anti-tppa-protesters-in-last-bid-to-stop-putrajaya-from-signin <http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/live-updates-anti-tppa-protesters-in-last-bid-to-stop-putrajaya-from-signin>

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